'Travel and exploration are a huge source of inspiration for Ton Leenarts. The 1990s saw him travel to India, a trip that would come to influence his work for the next decade: the frenetic atmosphere of the cities, the mix of religion with the kitsch and the vibrant Bollywood culture made for appealing subject matter. In the 2000s he became preoccupied with ancient cultures and mythology, a recurrent theme in his more recent work.
From Ancient Egypt to Persia and on to Mexico. Leenarts' painting style is constantly evolving to incorporate the various techniques acquired on his journeys. Often, his pieces are exuberantly colorful and exotic, yet lack linear perspective and have an overriding sense of artifice. This flattening of space is a technique borrowed from Egyptian painting while the filter of artificiality is inspired by Persian Mughal miniatures. Leenarts' work is also affected by the paintings of Gauguin and Pop-art combining dreamy imagery with a stylized Pop edge.'
